We are having a really weird winter. In the past week, I got 63 miles of bike riding because of 50 degree fahrenheit weather. Crocuses are pushing up out of the ground. Friday, we have had 2 inches of snow with 30 mph winds. From Thursday thru Friday, we went from 45F to 16F with rain turning to ice and turning to snow. I got to the bank and then to the grocery store. I have to go to stores again tomorrow because there was a run on groceries. The items that I was looking for there was nothing on the shelves. The 2 inch snowfall that in a normal year is nothing, the road crew completely forgot how to salt and clean the roads due to the fact that they have not done it this year! The streets and roads were an absolute mess. Its going to be back in the 40F range in 2 days and a week from now there is a 7 day string of 50F range! Today's snowfall makes 4 inches for the season. And this little bit of snow paralyzed the city.

I posted this in an email Friday night to Pasha while we were working on Mount Washington Fog problem. He felt I should share this with you. I would also enjoy hearing how your winter has been so far.

Luckily, I was able to complete my grocery shopping on Saturday. While doing laundry on Saturday evening, 48 hours after rain turned to ice and then to snow, the road crew came down my road and cleared the remains of the 2 inch snowfall and salted the road.

We had the warmest November on record and a very warm December. So far, we are having a very warm January and since the snow removal crew had not had practice in a very long time, they completely forgot how to clear and salt roads. Normally, winter makes an appearance here in November and stays until the middle of March. We have been lucky.

Here in the Netherlands is a very mild winter.
There are of course a few records broken. Too high average temperature and total rainfall.
This year we had much rain and wind, with occasional sunny day. .
A few times we've had frost on the ground.
The next day frost is predicted.
That's good cycling weather. Every day by bike to work. (25 km).
But winter is not over. February may even given a winter .

we don't have a real winter season on Mallorca OK it is now much colder like a couple of weeks ago, so the lowest temperature in this wintertime was last night with 5°C and had also a litte bit rain (14 l/m2). The last day with rain before was 28.11.2011!!!
We changed the year with temperatures above 20°C But this situation we had nearly all the 14 years I'm on Mallorca now.

I would like to share a few pictures of Winter in my area from the past month.

January 21st Snowfall

20120121 4 inch snowfall.JPG (51.35 KiB) Viewed 8812 times

On January 21st, the Mansfield area had a 4 inch snowfall that I actually got to shovel. I live in what is known as the Snow Belt. Winds come across the Great Lakes and drop a lot of snow on my area. A normal winter, I would have to shovel atleast four 12 inch snowfalls. It is also normal to have atleast one week with temperatures near 0 degrees fahrenheit. There was one evening this winter that was minus .1 degree fahrenheit.

I have spent this winter wearing a light weight fleece jacket as the average temperature is around 39 degrees fahrenheit. Tuesday morning, we had snow and Tuesday afternoon was 40 degrees fahrenheit. When our snow comes down, it is immediately melted. This is really an unusual winter.

February 22nd Crocuses have Bloomed before they should!!!!!

20120222 Crocuses Bloomed.JPG (68.76 KiB) Viewed 8812 times

I took the above picture of my little blue flowers that just bloomed today before I went for a 20 mile bike ride. So far this year, with the warm winter weather, I have 151 miles of bike riding for the year. Each one of my bike rides has been atleast 20 miles. Normal for this time of year is to go out for 1 hour and get a 12 mile bike ride as you are riding on a 35 degree fahrenheit day. My rides this year are almost all 45 degree fahrenheit (or higher) days.

I know there is still more winter to come. But so far, this winter has been more like Autumn turning into Spring.

I have seen on the news that it has been COLD in Europe. Has it warmed up any?

The Southern Hemisphere Winter 2012 is just starting. I cannot talk for all Southern Hemisphere countries, but in Johannesburg, South Africa, the start of Winter has, so far, been very mild. Today the mercury sits at 22 Celcius and in places more than that, which is to me unusual for April in Joburg. Sometimes summer lingers to the end of May and then hits us with an almighty cold front from the Southern Cape.

I would assume that "Winter 2012" is a northern hemisphere play because their winter starts well before the new year and carries on well into April or later, and then restarts again at the end of the year. I would call it "Winter 2011/2012" because your next winter starts in October and will then be "Winter 2012/2013".

The Southern Hemisphere Winter starts and ends within the same calendar year. So we can safely say "Winter comes but once a year, and for that we are eternally grateful".